Scotland and Wales are set to launch a targeted phone outreach pilot for international graduates.
Beginning on December 1, 2026, the trial will reintroduce direct telephone contact as part of the annual Graduate Outcomes survey.
This marks the first time since 2021 that phone outreach will be utilized to track the career paths of international students who studied in Scotland, Wales, and other parts of the UK.
Pan-Atlantic Kompass reports that the Graduate Outcomes survey is the UK’s largest annual social survey, tracking alumni activities approximately 15 months after graduation.
While the online-only method adopted in 2021 streamlined domestic reporting, it created notable challenges in securing robust responses from international alumni who had left the UK.
According to the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), part of Jisc, the new pilot aims to generate hard evidence on three key fronts:
Response Rates: Assessing if targeted phone calls significantly improve response metrics among overseas alumni.
Data Profiles: Determining whether phone outreach alters or improves the quality and representation of the collected data.
Value for Money: Measuring the fiscal sustainability of managing international voice outreach.
The pilot is uniquely mandated and funded by statutory bodies specifically within Scotland and Wales. All higher education providers in these two nations are required to participate.
Conversely, statutory customers in England and Northern Ireland have opted out of the initial trial. HESA clarified that allowing an optional, piecemeal “opt-in” system for individual universities in those regions would introduce data bias and complicate aggregate analysis.
“Without a consistent nationwide approach, results at the aggregate level would be subject to bias and difficult to analyse,” the organisation said. It also cited the practical challenges of managing a voluntary opt-in system, which could further compromise comparability.
HESA added that the impact of the pilot on data quality, comparability over time, and differences between nations will need to be assessed once evidence from the exercise has been gathered. It said it would work closely with the sector to evaluate these effects and provide further guidance on what data will be published.
“Working in partnership with the sector is central to Jisc’s approach,” said Heidi Fraser-Krauss, chief executive of Jisc.
“This pilot responds directly to member priorities and marks an important step in strengthening the evidence on international graduate outcomes, which are critical to the future of UK higher education.”
The pilot comes amid increasing demand from universities, policymakers, and sector bodies for more robust data on the long-term outcomes of international students, particularly their employment destinations and career progression after leaving the UK.
This move also comes after the government intensified efforts to curb alleged abuses in the student visa system through tougher oversight of education providers.
Under the new rules, institutions must maintain a visa refusal rate below 5%, an enrolment rate of at least 95%, and a course completion rate of at least 90%. Failure to meet these benchmarks can trigger compliance investigations, action plans, or suspension of the foreign student sponsor licence.
